In February of 2020, another Globe Forum event, by Globe Series, took place in Vancouver. It brought together the stakeholders in the sustainable and clean economy from Canada and around the world to share knowledge and identify collaborative opportunities. Besides talks and panel discussions, the Forum featured an Innovation Showcase in five thematic clusters of Bioeconomy/Circular Economy, Mobility, Smart Cities, Carbon Productivity, and Oceans and Plastics.
In this article, we review some of the 5R solutions displayed in this exhibition. At 5REDO, we help businesses assess and implement these 5R strategies to enhance circularity across their operations.
Renew
Turning waste into carbon. Titan Clean Energy Projects in Saskatchewan is converting wood and agricultural residues into carbon-rich substances for applications ranging from animal feed additives to soil amendments. The company also processes this biocarbon, also known as biochar, into activated carbon which owing to its porous structure can be used as an absorbent in, for example, water and air purification.
Painting with soybeans. Soyaoil Coatings Canada in Ontario has developed sustainable paints and coatings made of 98% plant-based and natural mineral ingredients.
Binding clay through enzymes. Cypher Environmental in Manitoba is offering an enzyme-based biodegradable road stabilizer called EarthZyme that increases the density and mechanical strength of soils with high clay content and therefore improves the durability of the infrastructure built upon them.
Hemping the composites. Natural Fibre Technologies in Alberta is processing locally sourced hemp stems into fibers and wood chips next to manufacturing biocomposites and added value products from these natural resources.
Recycle
Breaking carbon bonds. Pyrowave in Quebec has invented a microwave catalytic depolymerization technology that can break down polymers such as polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) into their basic constituents, which can be used to make new plastic resins identical to virgin plastics.
Squeezing out aerosol cans. Despray Environmental based in the Netherlands has designed a unique system to recapture all liquid, metal and gas resources embodied in aerosol containers. The recovered propane is compressed back to a liquid state for reuse as fuel.
Reduce and Reuse
Dispensing with the bottles. Bevi based in Massachusetts is manufacturing flavored and sparkling water dispensers for offices. Besides reducing the consumption of bottles in mass-produced beverages, the company is offering service to its customers with refilling and reusing the flavor containers placed in its machines.
Remanufacture
Giving second life to IT devices. Compugen in British Columbia administers an IT asset disposition program called Green4Good in which aged IT equipment go through a refurbishment and/or recycle process aiming to maintain the value of parts and materials in the cycle.
Originating from Barcelona, Laia’s educational journey led her to pursue secondary studies in the south of France. Her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Management allowed her to develop an analytical mindset. During her Master’s in International Business and Management, she engaged in numerous research study cases and actively participated in the creation of different business plans. This helped her develop an ability to critically analyze and address the strategic challenges that companies encounter.
Andre has over 5 years of industry experience in project management, polymer and composite processing, materials characterization, and product development. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil, and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Technology from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, where he focused on Polymer and Composite materials. In 2012, he founded a design and manufacturing company specializing in biocomposites made with natural fibers, which he successfully sold in 2015.
As an expert in sustainability, life cycle assessment, circular economy, and green chemistry, Nicolas possesses valuable skills and knowledge that can assist companies in developing and implementing sustainable and environmentally-friendly business models. They can achieve this by utilizing eco-friendly materials, improving manufacturing processes, reducing waste and hazardous chemical use, and advocating for the use of safer and more sustainable alternatives.
Karan is an experienced professional who has worked in multiple geographies and roles along his career. He holds a total of 10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, and has focused his efforts towards finding solutions for waste recovery and making recovery economical for industries. 
With several years of research experience in France and Canada, Fabien lends his expertise and passion for enzymology and microbiology to 5REDO’s sustainability innovation plans. 
With her significant hands-on experience in developing and characterizing biological and chemical systems, Vicky plays a key role in 5REDO’s efforts toward developing novel products and technologies that offer improved circularity and sustainability to the industry and society. 
As a recent graduate of chemical engineering from the University of Waterloo, Kyle brings his passion for impactful innovation and his experience with novel recycling processes to 5REDO to support our technology development initiatives. 
As our Senior Research Scientist, Hormoz draws on his eight years of industrial and nine years of academic research experience in the areas of polymer science and engineering to develop new solutions for advancing circularity and sustainability.
Shauna is a freelance journalist that covers a wide range of topics, including health, education, the environment, travel, lifestyle trends, and more. She holds a Master of Journalism from Carleton University, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Global Development from Queen’s University.
By leveraging her expertise in life cycle analysis and process engineering, Ophela helps 5REDO to take a holistic approach to the development of circular solutions and technologies. 
As the co-founder of 5REDO, Forough brings her expertise in supply chain management, business operations, inventory control, and revenue management to support the implementation of circular solutions within different industry sectors.
With a passion for driving change and creating impact, Mahdi co-founded 5REDO to promote circular economy principles in Canada. He’s an alumnus of the 2021 Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s ‘From Linear to Circular Programme.’ Mahdi played a pivotal role in developing and managing the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Circular Economy Seed Funding program, fostering partnerships between companies and academic researchers to co-create circular solutions.